Ænglisc / Old English - Lesson XII - Grammar & Grammatical Cases VIII (The Subjunctive Mood):

[HistoryCulture]

[I TAKE NO PERSONAL CREDIT FOR THESE LESSONS]

Ƿesaþ ġē hāl!

If you missed the previous lesson (The Indicative Mood) click here -

Now, we go over the second of the three OE Moods - The Subjunctive Mood!

What is a mood - look here!!!

Put simply, the Subjunctive Mood is a verb form which makes a hypothetical statement or question - opposed to the Indicative - which is for definite statements ("I am Luke" rather than "If I was Luke" is what I mean by definite statements!).

Example I: This is a comparative example, first showing a) the Indicative Mood, and then b) the Subjunctive.

a)

(ModE) We say / we are saying

(OE) Ƿē secgaþ / Wē secgaþ

b)

(ModE) We would say / We could say

(OE) Ƿē secgan / Wē secgan

Why is b) in the subjunctive? It is because it is not directly saying that we will say, but is implying that we could or would say. This is the Subjunctive Mood

Summary: The Subjunctive Mood are the hypothetical statement or questions. Not that we will do something, but that we could / should / would do something.

That is all for this lesson! For more information on the Subjunctive Mood, click here -](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zM9ZbgeCSfE)

If this has inspired you/ started you to think that OE may be for you, check out Leornende Eald Englisc, here

If you haven't already, please endorse / upvote the Course suggestion page for Old English below to increase the chance of a Duolingo course:

Keep updated by bookmarking the lesson list! -

[Lilyanne_Matsuda]

Another interesting read! : D

First vote! ^-^

[HistoryCulture]

Thank you, next we work on the final case - The Imperative!

Go and look it up now if you don't get this pun!

[Lilyanne_Matsuda]

I get it. XD

[HistoryCulture]

good :)

[Lilyanne_Matsuda]

I have been a grammar freak since I was in Kindergarten, so.... XD

[GinnyCY]

Very interesting, indeed. Is there a possible way to bookmark all of the lessons for this without doing it individually.

[WulfgarGoodread]

The last line of the post is a link to the Old English lesson list, found here - https://www.duolingo.com/comment/17439695

Follow that thread and it will link you to all the others.

[GinnyCY]

Much appreciated. Did not realize it was a link.

[HistoryCulture]

Yes, do feel free to upvote/ comment on the lessons

@Deodwyn Thanks for that!

[LupoMikti]

Wait, does OE use the subjunctive for the conditional as well? (the example you gave for subjunctive is the Conditional Mood in ModE).

[HistoryCulture]

As there are only three cases in OE (Indicative, Subjunctive, Imperative), I would believe so, as it is not an order (Imperative) and it is not a definite statement (Indicative) - However, refer to the video for more detail.